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N. B. HOOPER. MAGHINEFOR 1301mm HATS. y No. 291,598. Patented Jan. 8,1884.

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MACHINEFOR IRO'NINGHATS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 291,598, dated January8, 1884..

Application filed April 27, 1883. (N0 model.)

To (025 whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, Nlononns B. Hoornn, of the city of Brooklyn, in thecounty of Kings and State of New York, have invented anew and usefulImprovement in Machines for Pressing or Ironing Hats, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention is applicable to machines for performing apressingoperation, the effect of which is the same as that commonly known asironingfl and which is performed by hand with a heated iron.

The invention relates to that class of machines in which the hat isoperated on by a heated sand-bag; and it consists in a novel combinationof parts particularly hereinafter described, and referred to in theclaim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a machineembodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the dottedline or 00, Fig. 1

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in bothfigures.

A designates the bed or table of a press, which is made hollow, andhaving connected with it two pipes, B O, which provide for heating thesaidbed 01- table by steam. Upon the bed or table is attached andsupported a block, I), which is adapted to fit the crown of a hat; E,while the brim of the hat may rest upon the bed or table adjacent to theblock, as shown in Fig. 2. The bed or table A is surmounted by aframe-work composed of uprights F and a cross bar or beam, F.

G designates a platen or plate, which is vertically movablcupon guidesor guide-rods H, the platen here beingshown as provided with rollers orwheels a, bearing on said guide-rods, and upper sockets, b, surroundingand sliding on said rods. The platen is thus retained in a horizontalposition, while it is free to move upward and downward.

As here shown, the weight of the platen G is counterbalanced by weightsI, depending from cords or connections J, which pass over pulleys c andare attached to the platen. In this example of any invention the platenG is moved upwardand downward by a screw, K, which is provided with ahand-wheel, K, whereby it may be turned. Said screw has aswivel-connection, d, with the platen G, and

' works in a nut, c, in the cross-beam F. Other mechanism might be usedforimparting movement to the platen G. To the under side of, the platenis attached what I term a .sandbag, although it is here shown ascomposed of a cylindric metal shell, L, with its lower end covered withflexible material L, which may be secured over the open end of thecylindric shell by a'band, wire, or cord, f. The flexible material, L,is not continuous across the end of the shell L, but has in it a pocket,L", which conforms approximately to the shape of the block D and thecrown of the hat E. This pocket can be made of a piece separate fromthepiece L, and secured to an opening therein, or they may be made ofone piece of material. The metal shell L contains a quan tity of sand,snfficient to fill it, except for the pocket L but when the machine isnot in use the weight of the sand will cause the material forming thepocket to turn wrong side out and to depend from the part L, as shown inFig. 1.

The sand-bag might be otherwise constructed; and although I term itasandibag, it may contain other mobileor yielding material in lieu ofsand. In all cases, however, the pocket L will be used, and it will becon strueted of muslin, ticking, or some other pervious fabric, so thatmoisture may pass from the hat under operation to the sand in the bag.

In operating my machine the hatE is drawn down upon the block D, and theplaten G is moved down so that the said bag will pass downward over thehat, which, with the block within it, will be received in the pocket Lshown in Fig. 2. The hat is subjected to heat from the hollow bed orsteam-table, and from the sand in the bag, or by other equivalent means;or the sand-bag may be heated in a similar manner, andwhile the crownand brim of the hat are subjected to pressure between the sand-bag andthe block and table or bed A it is also subjected to heat, asdescribed,'to bring up the finish. The hat, while being subjected topressure, is heated both by the block and bed or table and by the sandin the bag. WVhen there is no hat in the machine, the platen isdepressed so that the sand-bag rests upon the block and bed or table,and thereby the sand in the bag is kept hot. This method of I ironing orpressing hats is very advantageous,

as it brings up better the stiffening, or the stiff, as it istechnically termed, in stiff hats. It also develops a fuller color andgives a better finish, and one that holds itself better than whenproduced by the ordinary operation of ironing.

I am aware that heated sand-bags operated by hand and by presses havelong been used in the manufacture of hats; and I am also aware that abag to contain compressed air,

and having a pocket made of india-rubber and conforming to the exactshape of the hat to be operated on, has been used. The india-rubberpocket will be soon destroyed by the heat, and,

being impervious, will not allow moisture to pass from the hat underoperation to the sand ,7 in the bag.

I do not claim either of the above-described forms of apparatus as of myinvention; but

What .I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

the under side of the platen. moving upward and downward with theplaten, and having in it a pocket of muslin, ticking, or other perviousfabric, which conforms exactly to the shape of the crown of the hat tobe operated on, and

through which moisture may pass from the hat operated on to the sand insaid sand-bag, all organized for operation substantially as described.

NICHOLAS B. HOOIPER.

Vitn esses FREDK. HaYNEs, A. L. BROWN.

